TORONTO — When Matthew Schaefer was born on Sept. 5, 2007, it had been more than four years since Patrick Roy played the final NHL game in his Hall of Fame career on April 22, 2003.
Or, to be exact, 1,599 days.
But even though Roy, now the New York Islanders coach, had concluded his playing days long before Schaefer could see him on the ice, the defenseman, who the Islanders selected No. 1 in the 2025 NHL Draft, is well aware of the status his coach holds within the game.
“Yeah obviously he’s one of the best,” Schaefer said at the 11th annual Smilezone Celebrity Golf Tournament at Lionhead Golf Club in Brampton, Ontario, on Monday. “When I walked into the Upper Deck offices recently, I saw things about him all over the place. He’s been awesome to me. He’s such a great guy too. Hockey was such a great thing (for him as a player) but he’s also a great human being so to have a coach like that is awesome.”
Schaefer is determined to be taking instruction from Roy when the Islanders begin the regular season Oct. 9 at the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“I just can’t wait,” Schaefer said. “I want to be on that opening night roster so there is still a lot of work to be put in this summer, but I can’t wait to get ready at camp.”
Now that it has been a little more than three weeks since Schaefer was announced as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, he is glad that the extra events and appearances that accompany such a distinction have started to wind down. As much as he said he loved the entire experience, Schaefer is eager to put his focus where he knows it needs to be.
“It’s been super crazy,” Schaefer said. “A lot of media, a lot of publicity stuff and so it’s been awesome, but it’s awesome now that it is basically over, the draft is over, I don’t have to worry about that. Now I can just worry about getting in the gym and on the ice.”